Fuel Gauge question

[mprobst]

I recently bought a 2003 7.3 crew cab, and the dealer warned me it is empty when it says 1/4 tank. He said he replaced the CPM and had a lot of things checked before someone put 5 gallons of diesel in it, and it started up fine. Is there anyway other than running out of fuel that I can verify this? It is a lariat and has the little thing in top center with miles to empty, but not sure if I can trust that either. If I do run out of fuel, do I have to do anything to prime it again to get it running, or just crank and crank? I used to operate snowcats for a ski area, and the one time I ran out of fuel, I had to lie there in the cold squashed under the cab pumping a little lever for 15 minutes to prime it. that was incentive not to do it again.

Thanks

[JSchuricht]

How many gallons are you putting in when it runs out. IIRC, long beds hold ~39 and short ~29. If you aren't getting close to that amount of fuel, you need to drop the tank and ditch the mixing chamber. It will have either failed or fallen off either way, the lower 1/4 of the pickup tube won't be working. Check out guzzle's guides for some additional mods when you have the tank down.

[wiyrs]

i hate that.. i run out of fuel befor my gauge even hits the E line.. but when i put fuel in it i thought i'd be cranking and cranking, like wiht my 96 f250.. but nope.. i turned the key waited 10 sec's and it started right up.. no hicups or anything.. and i know it was outa fuel cause i used my starter to back it up out of the road

[wingnuts514]

i thought it was 26 and 38 gallons.

[zpd307]

i have the same problem..... bought a new pickup screen thinking/hoping that it broke off and was the problem. i dropped the tank and the pickup screen was still there and no obvious signs of damage. so now i am thinking that i have to buy a whole new sending unit......

[Roc87]

While you have the tank down, do the harpoon mod